MONROVIA – The Liberia Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Authority (LMHRA) has suspended the import license of G2 Pharmacy, one of Liberia’s leading pharmaceutical companies, over allegations of importing an unlabelled batch of the anesthesia drug Bupivacaine 0.5%, which has been linked to at least one fatality.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
Bupivacaine 0.5% is commonly used to numb specific areas of the body during medical procedures. It works by blocking nerve signals in the body, helping to prevent pain.
The Liberia Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Authority (LMHRA) is the statutory agency of the Government of Liberia responsible for ensuring that all medicines and health products circulating within the country are safe, effective, and of high quality. It was established in accordance with the National Drug Policy, which called for the creation of a regulatory authority to oversee the pharmaceutical sector, enforce medicine regulations, and establish a national quality control laboratory. The Authority was officially established on September 29, 2010.
According to a Board Resolution issued on July 11, 2025, G2 Pharmacy allegedly imported a consignment of Bupivacaine 0.5% that lacked English labeling, in violation of LMHRA’s packaging regulations. As a result, the LMHRA has ordered an immediate recall of the product and suspended the company’s import license indefinitely.
When contacted, the management of G2 Pharmacy did not respond to FrontPage Africa’s inquiries up to the time of publication.
The LMHRA stated that its Independent Hearing Board began investigating the matter on January 22, 2025, following a formal complaint submitted by its Inspectorate and Pharmacovigilance Departments. The investigation found that G2 Pharmacy had imported and distributed the mislabeled drug in the Liberian market.
“The Hearing Board heard the matter and found G2 Pharmacy liable and in violation of Chapter IV, Section I, Count I of the LMHRA Regulation on Labeling,” the Board stated. “To send a strong message to other potential violators, G2 was initially fined US$500 per pack for the 236 mislabeled packs supplied, totaling US$118,000. However, the company was ultimately fined only US$1,000.”
The Board also noted that the outcome of the hearing was not brought to the attention of LMHRA’s Board of Directors until June 2025. Upon review, the Board took additional action.
In its July 11 sitting, the LMHRA Board passed a resolution enforcing a nationwide recall of the affected product, with all associated costs to be covered by G2 Pharmacy. The Board also invoked Part VIII, Section 3 of the LMHRA Act, declaring that the company’s import license is suspended indefinitely until further notice.
The resolution, which was officially certified by the Board of Directors, authorizes the Managing Director to fully implement all measures required to protect public health and safety.
A member of the LMHRA Board confirmed the suspension in a follow-up interview. “In the coming days, LMHRA will carry out extensive follow-up to ensure full implementation of the Board’s decision.”
G2 Pharmacy’s management has yet to issue an official response. Efforts to reach the company’s management have so far been unsuccessful.
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